Drake Sisters 07 - Hidden Currents

aren’t you?
    It was a sign of his desperation that he didn’t even reprimand her. “My mother taught me when I was boy,†he admitted, blurting it out.
    El e took pity on him. Jackson didn’t like to talk about his family or childhood. She flashed a smile at Libby. “I thought maybe if you al were wil ing you could work another healing session on me—everyone but Kate—and then Kate could try to work on my talent.†She looked at Sarah.
    â€œOr do you think it should be the other way around, Kate first, just in case anything goes wrong?â€
    â€œWrong how?†Matt asked.
    As distractions went, it was a good one, Jackson decided as he settled into an armchair with El e flopping graceful y at his feet. The Drake sisters liked to sit together on the floor. He’d discovered that a few years earlier when he’d first met them.
    â€œI don’t know, Matt,†El e answered honestly, leaning her head back against Jackson’s chair, “but I don’t want to take any chances with Kate.â€
    Kate lifted her chin. “I know I can do it, El e.â€
    Before Matt could object, Sarah leaned forward and laid her hand on Kate’s knee. “Of course you can, Katie, no one doubts that. But at what cost? I think that’s both El e’s and Matt’s question and a legitimate one. We can’t risk you, especial y now.â€
    â€œI could do a control ed healing,†Kate offered. “I would do a single layer at a time. Depending how much damage there is, it would work, but it would be over time—days. I’d have to work on you every day, El e.â€
    â€œIs there a risk to you, Kate?†Matt asked directly.
    â€œThere’s always a bit of a risk,†Kate admitted. “You see us after we work. We’re drained. Libby has taken a lot on herself and it can be harmful. She has to be careful and I’m guessing I’l have to do the same. But healing El e is not only worth the risk, I think, given what is happening here, it’s one we al have to take.â€
    The scent of freshly baking cookies fil ed the air. Jackson turned his head toward the kitchen. Hannah smiled at him from the doorway. As much as Kate could keep everything peaceful, Hannah seemed to add a touch of home, of comfort to the atmosphere. He realized his home felt like the Drake home. He’d always gone into their house and come out different, with a sense of a family and love. He wasn’t certain if it was their deep faith in God, their magic, or the family itself, but they lived the way others dreamed of living—the way he was determined to live.
    El e reached back and took his hand. “I’m going to cal Dane.†She had to before she lost her nerve. There, with her family surrounding her and the smel of cookies and the teakettle whistling, everything seemed normal. She could cal , promise her report and be done with it. One more thing out of the way. She was taking baby steps, but she was emerging from that place of terror she’d been living in for so long.
    Jackson’s music room, his home fil ed with her family, al made her feel strong again. She’d made Stavros into an invincible monster. She wouldn’t underestimate him, but she wasn’t going to be so afraid that she was paralyzed, afraid to live anymore. She looked at Jackson, knowing he disapproved.

    â€œPlease understand. I have to do this, Jackson. I need to. For myself. For al those women out there who don’t have a family that can rescue them. Afterward, Kate can try her thing and if everything goes right, my sisters can work on healing me again.†She showed him her arms, pushing up her sleeves. “See how much better I am?â€
    He swal owed. A muscle ticked in his jaw and then he nodded his head—barely.
    â€œIs this a blocked number, because I don’t get cel phone service here.â€
    He nodded again, his mouth tightening.
    It took a few minutes for El e to make the international cal to Dane’s private cel phone. She was the only one with that particular number. El e drummed her fingers on the tabletop as she waited for Dane to answer the phone, careful y avoiding Jackson’s frown.
    â€œHel o, Sheena,†Stavros’s voice purred. “Are you looking for your late, lamented boss?â€

    16
    ELLE’Sblood ran cold. Every vestige